The Cupid 500
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First off, I'd like to thank Jackie-chan for giving me this name! I couldn't think of ANYTHING! Secondly, this is a teaser-ish thing, so if you hate it, say so, and I'll nuke it. Thirdly, ENJOY!
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Precisely one second before the light turned green, she floored the gas and leapt into traffic, really not caring that everyone was honking at her. With that blonde hair whipping furiously behind her and the sunlight glinting off black sunglasses, she was truly a sight to behold, so not many of the drivers really felt offended. It was almost as if she looked like she deserved to act like that.
She was sitting in a green Jeep wearing a tiny pink shirt that tied around her neck and very short shorts; the woman demanded everyone's attention. Upon first sight, one would either fall madly in love or believe that they were dreaming of an angel come to Earth.
Then they would get close enough to understand what she was shouting over the wind and would add pressure to the gas pedal to get quickly away from the woman's foul, foul mouth. For indeed, this "angel" was in a very, very bad mood.
Praying once more to God for patience, she pressed his speed-dial button on her cell phone and waited for him to either acknowledge her call or turn on the recording.
She got the recording.
The "angel" swore loudly at her phone (which was happily playing the chorus of "Happy Holidays" by blink 182) and yanked hard on the wheel to get back into the lane she was supposed to be in. Pointedly ignoring the other drivers angry shouts, she floored the gas again and roared down the highway.
So, she thought grimly. He thought he could dump her, Usagi Tsukino? Just like that? How dare he? It was simply not done. No one had dumped her since, well, she and her current ex had begun going out.
Usagi drummed her fingers restlessly against the steering wheel and considered the implications of this untimely break up. Number one, it meant that she was no longer going to be able to make awe-inspiring appearances at any more fancy dinner parties unless she snuck in and became a mystery guest. Believe it or not, there were actually protocols for dealing with mystery guests. She hadn't actually known that until her first royalty classed dinner party. Her hands tightened on the wheel remembering that certain party, and she forced her mind back to her list.
Number two, it meant that she could no longer show him off to her friends, and (more importantly) her enemies. Number three, it meant that he was up for grabs by any woman that had ever seen him.
This simply would not do.
Suddenly realizing that she was thinking about her ex-boyfriend like a slave that had run away, she then proceeded to consider what, exactly, she felt about him. Did she, in fact, think of him as a slave that had gotten away? Were there any deeper feelings? Perhaps there were, but Usagi did not give herself time to explore these deep, hidden emotions for her previous "Love of All Time"
She was much to busy dragging her Jeep around a sharp corner and then flipping off several drivers that happened to be in her way. Suddenly the anger burst forth in her belly, and she cursed again. Keeping her eyes on the road, she fumbled for her backpack, found a CD, and inserted it in the player.
MxPx issued forth: one of HIS CDs.
Using a few choice phrases that she had picked up from one of his friends, she stabbed the eject button, fairly tore the CD from its player and flung it onto a windshield nearby.
"Happy Halloween!" she shouted at the shocked face. A shocked face with large blue eyes and short blue hair.
Once again, if Usagi had given herself time, she probably could have placed the face. But when Usagi got onto the road and began listening to Eminem, it was only a matter of time before her mood worsened, and her mouth along with it. And by the time she had almost placed the face, she was well into the first track.
Usagi and her Jeep swerved into his driveway, nearly running over the boxes that were left haphazardly all over the lawn. She slammed her fist against the steering wheel and looked up towards the balcony. Sure enough, there HE was, laughing down at her.
She leaped out of the car, long legs flashing. Inadvertently making the entire male population of the street zoom in on her, Usagi raised her fist and shook it at him, who just kept laughing.
He disappeared for a second, and when he came back "Happy Holidays" blared out of his speakers, pouring into the street and into her ears. She screamed her favorite profanity at him and ran to her boxes.
Oh, he was going to pay. Good Lord, he was going to pay. Usagi loaded her boxes into the backseat of her Jeep angrily, and jumped back into the car. Now she was going to have to think up something spectacular to get him back. You do NOT humiliate a woman like that! It could have been worse, though. And he's still got round two up his sleeves somewhere, she decided with absolute certainty.
Her cell phone rang, jarring her from her vengeful ponderings. Irritated, she picked it up and hit talk. "What?" she snapped.
"Ano, Usagi?"
Usagi frowned. The voice wasn't familiar. "Hai, who wants to know?"
"It's Rei. Rei Hino. Remember me?"
She laughed. As if she could ever forget Rei! "Of course I remember you! You were the second one, right? Then came Makoto, and Minako. Then, of course, came Hotaru, Michiru, Haruka, Setsuna, and everyone else. Why? Aren't you on a tour somewhere in America right now?"
Rei laughed sheepishly. "Yes, I am, but I decided that since I haven't seen you, Mamoru, and the others in so many years that I had better check up on you!"
Usagi snickered. Funny that Rei should mention Mamoru. "Rei-chan, Mamoru won't be able to make it."
"Why?"
"Well," Usagi said with a laugh, "I think he's still got a whole lot of jail time left."
"WHAT?"
"You see, it seemed that Mamoru was having some substance problems. Not that he was a stoner or anything, he just sold it to a lot of people. I was getting sick of him, so when I found some evidence on him, I turned him in."
"How could you do that?"
Usagi laughed again. Rei was sounding so shocked that she had turned her second "Love of All Time" in. Jesus Christ, she thought in satisfaction. Weren't THEY in for a surprise!
"Rei, I think that when you see me and the others, you'll find out first had that I'm not quite the bunny you left safely behind in Tokyo. Ja!"
She hung up and stuffed the phone back into her purse. Well, they'd probably be meeting at the temple or the arcade. The arcade was closer, so she should stop there first. Grinning suddenly, she slammed on the gas and almost flew forwards. Yes, she loved her little car.
Veering into the parking lot, she hit the brakes and dropped from the car. Gathering up her purse and pushing through the doors, she realized that she hadn't been in Crown Arcade since Rei, Ami, Makoto, Minako, Michiru, and Haruka had left. Setsuna and Hotaru had stayed behind, the only two witnesses to Usagi's startling transformation. She really hadn't been able to help it. Usagi had met him at the movies one day, and they had hit it off really well.
Things had progressed from there, and, well, here she was now. Looking impatiently around the arcade, seeming for all the world like a queen with a tight schedule. But no, that would be Relena, wouldn't it? Ha! Relena! Queen! As if the stupid girl would know real peace if it slapped her in the face and did the twist on her nose.
"Usagi, is that you?" Motoki asked in shock.
A big smile came to her face, and she gave him a big hug. "Hai, it's me! I haven't been here in ages! How are you doing, Toki-kun?"
His grin widened. "I'm doing great, but I should be asking about you. How're you taking the breakup?"
Usagi laughed and waved it off. "Oh, it's not big deal. I'm planning retaliation as we speak. Can I get a chocolate milk shake?" she asked, handing him a five.
Motoki smiled. "Sure," he said, going back behind the counter. Three seconds later, he had her shake in hand.
Once he handed her the shake and her change, he finished what he was going to say earlier.. "I have to say," he said finally, "you two DO provide us with enough entertainment. You're twenty two and twenty three. Will you and your man ever grow up?"
"Oh, Motoki! Are you saying we're childish? We just like a little fun, nii-kun. But that's beside the fact. Have you seen Rei around?"
He snickered. "Yeah, she and your other friends are sitting over at that table looking for the old you. Odango Amata," he added with a smirk.
"Won't they be surprised," Usagi returned pleasantly.
Drawing up her trademark smirk, she began the walk over to the table where her friends sat oblivious to her approach. As she passed a table, a hand shot out and touched her arm.
"Usagi, are you alright?"
Surprised, she looked down into Quatre's sweet face and laughed. "Of course I'm alright, Quat-kun! Why wouldn't I be?"
He blushed furiously. "Well, because of the breakup between you and---"
"Oh, that's nothing," she said airily. Then a crafty smile came to her face. "Oi, nii-kun, you want to come meet some of my friends?"
Quatre blanched, probably remembering the last time she had introduced him to her friends. He had barely escaped with his life. "Ah, no, but thank you anyways. Oh, yes, Usa-chan? Would you like to come to the dinner party tomorrow night? You may invite as many people as you like."
Usagi smirked. "And won't that just make him feel nice! Yes, and I'll wear that dress that he always drooled over, and I'll make it a point to be there with another man! Oh, this will be fun!"
Quatre coughed. "Warning you, Usa-chan. He's planning the exact same thing, and he's taking Yohji's ex girlfriend. I heard that there were hard feelings on both sides. It's likely that he's going with her so he can get back at you, and she can get back at Yohji. But you know that he's very good at that game," he said, referring to her "love".
"Well, I've always been able to do it much better, haven't I, Quatre-kun?"
He coughed again, and hurriedly excused himself. The blonde woman laughed softly at the poor innocent, and continued towards her own clan. Recalling her smirk once more, she slid easily into the spot next to Rei, who stared at her in shock.
"Usagi?"
She nodded, her smirk growing even more if it were possible. "Hai, it's me. Nice to see y'all again," she said with a laugh.
Minako raised a trembling hand and pointed at her blonde hair--- which now fell to the middle of her back. "Usagi," she said in horror, "your hair! What did you do to your odangos? And you got your ears pierced! And a tattoo! A tattoo of a burning dove!"
Usagi proudly displayed her left shoulder-blade and snickered at their reactions. Ami was just staring at her like she had never seen the blonde before. Minako was flipping out about the way she looked, Makoto was cracking up about a joke well executed, but only Rei heard the subtle nuances in her voice that really set her apart.
"You sound a lot experienced, Usa-chan," Rei finally remarked.
She raised an eyebrow. "I hope so. It's been five years since---"
"USA-CHAN! Did you break up with him?" Hotaru yelled, running up and plopping down beside the smiling blonde.
Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna came into sight closely afterwards, and sank gratefully into the seats. The eight women sat there for quite a while, just loving being together again. But then Hotaru broke the silence.
"Did you?" she asked impatiently.
Usagi sipped at her milk shake and shook her head. "Iie. It was his turn. I get him next time though, and oh am I going to make it a day to remember!"
Setsuna shook her head slightly. "Usagi-hime, when will you learn that love is nothing to play with? Yes, you escaped destiny by sending Mamoru to prison, but you are destined for love."
"Ha! You call what he and I had love? Oh, that's a laugh."
"If he heard you say that, he would say that he was wounded deeply, or something like that," Hotaru remarked.
Usagi frowned. "Actually, we're not on speaking terms right now. We're still just a tad bit upset with each other. His theme this time is---"
"Happy Holidays," Hotaru finished.
The blonde gave Hotaru the Glare-O'-Death that she picked up from Hiiro, and crossed her arms. "I'm offended that you didn't share that with me, Hota-chan."
"WAIT!" Minako shouted. "Who are you talking about? And what's this about Mamoru being in jail? God, I'm so confused! Someone PLEASE enlighten me!"
Usagi cleared her throat. "Oh, well this is going to be fun. I've never exactly told the story before. Everyone knows it by heart now! Um, Hotaru, you can start. You met the infamous Duo Maxwell first."
The smaller girl laughed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Alright. I met Duo in the tenth grade. I was having problems with my Auto class, and so the teacher got me the number of someone who he said could help me. That someone turned out to be Duo Maxwell. So he started teaching me, and we got to be pretty good friends. Then one day Usagi here was having a nervous breakdown about college and you guys not being with her, and so I asked Duo if he wanted to go to the movies. He said sure, and I told Usagi that I'd met her there. Neither of them knew the other was coming."
"And this is where I come in," Usagi broke in. "So I was standing there waiting for Hota-chan when she runs in with this HUNK of a guy. I was so embarrassed! I thought I was drooling---no, I'm sure I was. But Duo and I got to talking, and we immediately decided to be an "item". I broke up with him three weeks later, because I was having destiny problems and crap. We got back together, and he dumped me. We got back together, and I dumped him. We got back together---"
"What Usagi means," Hotaru said hurriedly, "is that they made a habit of getting back together and then taking turns dumping each other. Each time it was more spectacular than the last time. I don't even want to know how he dumped you this time, compared to what you did to him a while back."
Usagi laughed again. It was so weird to hear their story from someone else's point of view! She hadn't really given their meeting much thought, since it was quite a while ago. Unfortunately, she felt herself going all squeaky and reminiscent about him, which was a BAD thing. So she shook her head and focused exclusively on her friends, who were staring at her in semi-shock.
"You did that?" Michiru asked finally.
The blonde stared at her, pulled out her trusty cell phone and dialed Duo's number. "Here. Listen. Learn."
Michiru held the phone to her ear for a minute of two, and then handed it back to Usagi, making stammering noises and blushing like a bride. Or a virgin, Usagi mused to herself. Then she nearly laughed aloud. THAT was a new one.
Suddenly a hand slammed down on her table, making them all jump. Usagi glanced up into laughing violet eyes, and then took another leisurely sip of her shake.
"Got you there, Usa."
Usagi made sure that her voice sounded lazy and bored. She raised her eyes under half-closed eyelids. "The day you could get me would be the day Relena stopped stalking Hii-kun. Which, of course, is never."
Duo's smile widened. "Oh, but my dear Usagi! I have a present for you. I'm sure it will bring back a great deal of good memories."
She arched an eyebrow. "Good memories? Of you? I highly doubt that. Oh, Duo! Meet my friends, Minako, Rei, Ami, Makoto, Haruka, and Michiru. I'm sure they'd all love to hear my memories of you about, say, two years ago?"
A quirky smile danced across his lips. "As much as they'd love to hear about the summer football camp, of course."
Usagi folded her hands and smiled pleasantly. "But the story about dance camp is so much more interesting!"
He shook his head in amusement. "Oh, I'd have to disagree. The time in-"
"DUO-KUN! Uh," Hotaru faltered at the identical glares from Duo and Usagi. Gulping nervously, she plunged on. "Let's go play an arcade game, okay?"
The braided man smiled indulgently. "Sure, Hota-chan. What do you wanna play?"
"The Sailor V game!"
Hotaru flashed an impish smile at Minako, who was staring at Duo like he was a god come to Earth. Evil plans danced through Usagi's head, so that she completely missed the meaningful look that Hotaru sent to Setsuna. The violet haired girl walked off with Duo, who laughed from time to time at things that Usagi said.
The blonde looked after them thoughtfully, measuring their heights against each other. Hmm. Hotaru was a little short, but they were still at about the right height, she mused thoughtfully. Then she turned bright blue eyes towards the others, imagining them standing next to Duo. Of all of them, Makoto was the best match. A cute smile crossed Usagi's lips.
Rei saw this smile, and completely misinterpreted it. "You still like him, don't you, Usa-chan?"
Usagi stared at her in shock that the miko would even say something so ridiculously absurd. Finally realizing that a reply was expected of her, she laughed. "Oh Rei, you're so funny sometimes! Of course not. I'm really very upset with him," she explained.
And that was why she was planning things to do to him. Things that were going to make her laugh. But Rei was shaking her head with a queer little smile on her face. "You still like him! Admit it!"
Usagi shook her head again. "Iie. You know who I do like, however? That Yohji man down at that flower shop. I heard recently that he broke up with his girlfriend, Saori, and that it was a furious breakup for both of them. They each blame the other. And, what's even better is that Duo's taking Saori to the party! Oh, this is too perfect."
Rei was not to be deterred. "I still think you like him."
Usagi just sighed and took another despairing sip of her shake. She was so engrossed in her plans for vengeance that she hardly noticed when a shadow loomed over her. Luckily Hotaru called out before Usagi was caught off guard once again.
"I beat Duo, Usa-chan! I beat Duo! For the first time!"
Usagi lifted her head and beamed at Hotaru around Duo's body. "That's great! Not very surprising, though. Duo is not the best at arcade games."
"You're not much better, Usa."
"Compared to you, I'm God."
"Satan, maybe."
Rei nodded knowingly. "I was right."
Usagi and Duo both whipped their heads around and stared at the smirking woman. Her violet eyes flashed at them, and a smile spread across her features.
"I knew you two still liked each other."
"What?" the accused asked in unison. Then they glared at each other.
"That's absurd," Usagi declared.
Duo nodded in confirmation. "I'm never dating a royal bitch like Usagi ever again."
"If I'm classified as a bitch, I shudder to think about what lowly creature you're classified as, Duo."
"Prove it," Ami suddenly said.
Everyone stared at her. Ami nodded as if she had expected this reaction. "You heard me. Prove it. According to Usagi and Hotaru, you two have broken up several times before. And now you both claim to dislike each other, which I believe to be completely and utterly untrue. This "breakup" is said to last about two weeks, correct?"
Duo nodded reluctantly, while Usagi just stared at Ami. Dr. Ami Mizuno smiled again. One of her favorite pastimes as of late was matchmaking. And it seemed like Usagi and Duo were in desperate need of some very heavy- duty matchmaking. She cracked mental knuckles and dove in for the finishing trap.
"And so I challenge you to not get back together until, say Christmas. If you have not gone out, kissed, hugged, or made any contact with each other that could not be classified as friendship, I will pay you each five hundred dollars. If you have done any of the things previously mentioned, you each have to pay me five hundred dollars. "
She raised her eyes and was met by identical violet and blue eyes. Usagi nodded decisively, not giving Duo any chance to protest or agree.
"I completely agree. I don't like the baka that way at all."
"What she said," the man said, jerking his head at his one time girlfriend. "Ja, minna."
And then he was gone.
Usagi smiled triumphantly. "Step one to winning: get a new boyfriend!" The blonde swooped her purse up and exited the arcade.
Motoki came over to the smiling senshi and glanced down at the very satisfied looking Ami. Setsuna smiled serenely at him, and then beamed happy thoughts at Ami.
"What did you do? Usagi just shot out of here laughing like a madwoman, and Duo left looking like either a very pissed off man, or a very determined one."
"Oh, it wasn't much. I simply studied their body language and inferred that this big breakup is nothing more than a sham. Also, I learned from Usagi's voice and stance that she loved nothing more than a good challenge. Judging by her own words, she would get back with Duo in two week's time. So I issued a challenge. If they can stay apart for five months, I will be surprised."
Motoki was silent for a few seconds, and then he nodded. "Sounds good to me. But you said that to her and then let her get into her car?"
*
Usagi screamed a loud string of scorching words at her latest victim, which happened to be a small, weak, pathetic driver trying to get around in the inferior Ferrari. Her Jeep was the God of Cars, and Usagi liked to make sure that everyone knew that. The businessman inside the chosen car apparently used to think that because his cost a lot of money, it was automatically better than her own Jeep.
So she had shown him differently.
God Almighty, she was having such a bad day that it wasn't even funny. Everyone was all grown up and successful, and what did she do? She was a mechanic. A good, rich mechanic, but a mechanic all the same. She was nothing compared to Rei and the others.
Ami had moved away and gone to medical school when she was eighteen. Going through her courses with flying colors, she had immediately landed a top position at a hospital in California, or some place like that. She had never gotten married, but was currently seeing a nice young man who had a stamp collection. Usagi had a belief that you could tell people's personalities from their collections. Stamps for instance. Not a good sign.
Rei had become a professional singer. Unfortunately, she dealt with pop so Usagi had bought her CD before actually listening to the songs. Needless to say, she had a wonderful time learning the lyrics to all of her friend's songs. It had amused her to no end when Duo had sung "Starry Night" at a bar late one night. The bartender had been very grateful for his hand in clearing out the bar in record time.
Makoto was now a chef in the most prestigious restaurant in Europe. Her restaurant, the Jupiter, was one in a chain of establishments scattered across the world. She only had ten restaurants all together; one for each of the planets, including the moon. Jupiter was by far the most famous, because she herself cooked there.
Minako quickly rose to the rank of superstar, to no one's surprise. Featured on the cover of almost every major magazine at one point or another, she was enjoying the attention and the rich lifestyle that came along with being famous and beautiful. Her every move or movie was tracked by the press, and unlike the other stars, she absolutely adored the attention.
Michiru was still playing her violin, but was now raking in money and being called the first female composer that kids in the future will learn about in Music Appreciation. Not only was she a composer/performer, she was an artist too. The woman did marvelous paintings of the ocean, each with eerie lifelike qualities for each. Perhaps her most famous was of a simple beach scene, but the simplicity of it seemed to call to the souls. It was said that if you listened closely enough, you could hear the shells singing. It was also said that if you stared at the waves long enough, you could discern the face of a woman, looking up smilingly at the sky. But rumors are only rumors, right?
Haruka was still racing, and scaring Michiru half to death with her close encounters with certain disaster. Once, when Michiru actually forbade the woman to race cars any more, Haruka ran away. Their relationship hung on the brink of disaster, but then they had eventually come to terms. The Senshi of the Wind still enjoyed playing piano to Michiru's violin, but her forte was, and always will be racing.
Setsuna and Hotaru had stayed with her in Tokyo, living in a large house together. Usagi hated to go in there, because it seemed like the house was always crying out for the other two Outers to come back and fill the rooms back up. Setsuna was a major fashion designer, and enjoyed making Usagi and Hotaru model her things. She had actually once forced Duo into one of her creations, and then fell in love with making men's clothes. The female fashion world suffered for a while until Setsuna snapped back to the dying female fashion with a gusto that put the other designers to shame. Hotaru was plodding through her last year of high school, and was showing signs of being a very shrewd decision maker. She was showing the signs of what it took to be a business woman.
And here Usagi was, a mechanic. For the first time in five years a hollow pit lodged itself inside her belly. A mechanic. A mechanic, next to all of her friends. Oh, didn't that sound just wonderful. She thought very hard about her job, the people that worked there, and how dirty she got while working beneath trucks. An impish grin came to her face, and she slammed on the gas.
She loved her job.
Roaring down the street at 75 mph, Usagi Tsukino was certainly a sight for sore eyes. Ah, if only a mirror were handy, she thought with a tiny laugh. Now, where was that damn flower shop again? Wasn't it on 5th? Or was it on 15th?
As she passed 5th, she realized that she could see the sign hanging over the sidewalk. Spinning the wheel for a sharp turn, she almost ran over the man she was coming to see. Usagi shrieked and slammed on her brakes, causing more swearing behind her. Sticking her head out of her car, she waved merrily at the smirking man.
"Yohji-kun! I need to talk to you!"
"About what?" he shouted back.
"Revenge!" she yelled, savoring the taste of the word.
A semi-shocked look graced his face, and he turned back around and headed back towards the flower shop. He seemed to see something and cringe. Casting a pleading look at Usagi, he leaned nonchalantly against the wall and looked disinterested in his surroundings.
Usagi laughed at his antics and parked her car. She jogged across the street, once again paying no mind to the traffic. It wasn't like she was going to stay dead if they killed her. Yohji walked over to her, and met her at the curb.
"What do you mean, revenge?"
She smiled prettily. "Well, Yohji-kun, I happen to know that Duo is taking Saori to one of Quat-kun's fancy dinner parties. I know you want to get her back, so I thought this might be an excellent opportunity."
He arched an eyebrow. "Is that so? And here I thought you were using your breakup as an excuse to go out with me," he said with a wicked grin.
"Who says I'm not? I'm thinking this works on three different levels. You get Saori, I get Duo, AND I get to date you."
"Make that four levels, my dear Usagi," Yohji decided after giving his new "girlfriend" an appraising look. "Now, just to warn you, Duo and Saori are standing in there right now, deciding what flowers they should wear. It's taking them forever. God save me," he said raising his eyes to the clouds.
Usagi smacked his arm. "God wouldn't help you if you had him at knifepoint. Look down. He might help you, Yohji-kun. Now. Shall we give them a show?"
His smirk grew to match hers. "We shall."
Usagi slipped her arm around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder. Yohji put his arm around her shoulder, and Usagi couldn't help but smile. Maybe getting revenge on Duo would be fun! Interesting, even. If she was lucky.
They walked into the flower shop, immediately halting all conversations. Including, Usagi saw with satisfaction, Duo and Saori's. Usagi gently tugged Yohji over to the counter and studied the flowers for a second. She gave Yohji a glance, and then visualized herself. With a tiny nod, she began picking out the flowers.
"Ohayo, Omi-kun! Okay, I want one blood rose, and one of your black roses."
Omi swallowed carefully. "Usa-chan, I'm afraid we don't have any more black roses. Someone bought them all yesterday."
She fixed him with a cold stare. Feeling Yohji move uncomfortably beside her, she intensified her stare, until Omi finally cracked. "He's picking up the order later today. I'll give you one, and I'll just give him your name and tell him that you paid me extra for it. Okay?"
Usagi nodded and looked up at Yohji with a smile. "See? Everything will be just dandy."
"Why do you want a black rose and a red one? Duo and Saori are matching," he added, waiting for any effect.
"At this point in time I don't give a damn about what they're doing. I'm picking a black rose for me, because my dress is red. You'll be wearing a tuxedo, which is why you have a red rose. We'll stand out, I can make sure of that."
"More then Duo and Saori? They both look pretty sharp in dressy stuff."
"I'm positive. Duo can play the Make 'Em Drool game pretty damn well, but I'm better. Thanks, Omi-kun!" she said, flashing her pearly whites.
Usagi glanced over at Duo and Saori, who were ignoring them. Well, Duo was ignoring them. Saori kept glancing over, trying to catch a glimpse of what Usagi and Yohji were doing. An evil smile leapt to her face, and she went up on tiptoes to Yohji's ear.
"Want to give them a real something to see?"
"What are you thinking?"
"Oh, just a simple kiss. One that will turn her green if it works right. Only a light one that looks like a promise of more to come, alright?"
He raised an eyebrow. "You do this a lot, don't you?"
"I hypothesize. I've never actually gone through on getting another boyfriend as revenge. Okay. Here we go."
So right in the middle of the flower shop, under the amazed eyes of Omi and under the shocked expressions of Duo and Saori, Usagi pulled Yohji down for a tiny, butterfly light kiss.
"You'll look great," she told him a trifle loudly.
"Thanks."
They linked hands and walked out the door. Once they were sure that neither Duo nor Saori could see them anymore, Yohji smiled at her.
"They were positively green with envy, m' dear."
Usagi threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, that was wonderful! Did you see Saori's face? I thought she was a monster there for a moment, she was so green! This is more fun than I thought!"
Yohji smiled down at the vivacious blonde that had stormed into his life demanding revenge. "Know what else was rather enjoyable?"
"Hmm?"
"The kiss itself."
Usagi stared at him in surprise, and then laughed even harder. "Yohji, we are the spawn of the Devil, now I'm sure! To be enjoying the revenge we're getting! We're going to Hell," she informed in solemnly.
"If this is how I get there, will you let me fly first class?"
What could she do besides laugh? Nothing, of course. So she laughed.
*
Duo placed his money on the counter with shaking hands. So. She was planning on playing this game in the major leagues. That had been a pretty dirty trick, he thought angrily. Still, he couldn't help but being admiring at the same time. Not many people would kiss another man just for revenge.
"They looked too happy, Duo-kun! Too perfect!" Saori said worriedly, for the thousandth time.
HE KNEW, he wanted to shout at her. And they looked perfect together because Usagi made everyone look good. There was just a glimmer to her that rubbed off on others. And, unfortunately, Yohji had that glitter too.
A horrible thought made his stomach lurch, as Saori voiced her doubts to him again. What if Usagi wasn't just doing it for pretend? What if she was doing it because she really liked Yohji? That kiss hadn't looked stiff at all. It had looked like they had done it time and time before.
And maybe they had. Usagi had been coming down to the flower shop every day by the time he broke up with her. He should have known by the way things were going that this time would be different. Her friends had come back in town. He should have remembered that. That Ami woman had screwed everything up! And now that Usagi had a bet in her mind, she wouldn't back down until she won, fair and square.
But Usagi and Yohji! The kiss! He wasn't sure whether he wanted to laugh or cry. He should have known that a woman like Usagi wouldn't hesitate to move on to the next guy. It had been stupid of him to believe that she'd stay single until Christmas.
"Duo?" Saori asked softly. "Are you alright?"
Carefully burying the fact that Usagi had looked just like that when she was worried, he ginned at her. Yes, there were good things about this bet, too. Saori being one of them. He nodded reassurance and took her hand.
They exited in the same way that Usagi and Yohji had left before them. Omi shook his head at the game the four were beginning and went to his calendar.
Five months.
Omi smiled, albeit unwillingly, thinking about Usagi and Duo. The two never stopped providing Jubaan with entertainment. First it was the breakups, and now the challenge.
His eyes went to the window thoughtfully. The harsh August sun beat down on the town, baking the streets with waves of heat and making the air shimmer. Omi tried to imagine snow falling on the same street five months from now, and found he couldn't.
The man circled Christmas Eve with a dark red marker. Time would tell how messy *this* Christmas would be.
****
First off, I'd like to thank Jackie-chan for giving me this name! I couldn't think of ANYTHING! Secondly, this is a teaser-ish thing, so if you hate it, say so, and I'll nuke it. Thirdly, ENJOY!
************
Precisely one second before the light turned green, she floored the gas and leapt into traffic, really not caring that everyone was honking at her. With that blonde hair whipping furiously behind her and the sunlight glinting off black sunglasses, she was truly a sight to behold, so not many of the drivers really felt offended. It was almost as if she looked like she deserved to act like that.
She was sitting in a green Jeep wearing a tiny pink shirt that tied around her neck and very short shorts; the woman demanded everyone's attention. Upon first sight, one would either fall madly in love or believe that they were dreaming of an angel come to Earth.
Then they would get close enough to understand what she was shouting over the wind and would add pressure to the gas pedal to get quickly away from the woman's foul, foul mouth. For indeed, this "angel" was in a very, very bad mood.
Praying once more to God for patience, she pressed his speed-dial button on her cell phone and waited for him to either acknowledge her call or turn on the recording.
She got the recording.
The "angel" swore loudly at her phone (which was happily playing the chorus of "Happy Holidays" by blink 182) and yanked hard on the wheel to get back into the lane she was supposed to be in. Pointedly ignoring the other drivers angry shouts, she floored the gas again and roared down the highway.
So, she thought grimly. He thought he could dump her, Usagi Tsukino? Just like that? How dare he? It was simply not done. No one had dumped her since, well, she and her current ex had begun going out.
Usagi drummed her fingers restlessly against the steering wheel and considered the implications of this untimely break up. Number one, it meant that she was no longer going to be able to make awe-inspiring appearances at any more fancy dinner parties unless she snuck in and became a mystery guest. Believe it or not, there were actually protocols for dealing with mystery guests. She hadn't actually known that until her first royalty classed dinner party. Her hands tightened on the wheel remembering that certain party, and she forced her mind back to her list.
Number two, it meant that she could no longer show him off to her friends, and (more importantly) her enemies. Number three, it meant that he was up for grabs by any woman that had ever seen him.
This simply would not do.
Suddenly realizing that she was thinking about her ex-boyfriend like a slave that had run away, she then proceeded to consider what, exactly, she felt about him. Did she, in fact, think of him as a slave that had gotten away? Were there any deeper feelings? Perhaps there were, but Usagi did not give herself time to explore these deep, hidden emotions for her previous "Love of All Time"
She was much to busy dragging her Jeep around a sharp corner and then flipping off several drivers that happened to be in her way. Suddenly the anger burst forth in her belly, and she cursed again. Keeping her eyes on the road, she fumbled for her backpack, found a CD, and inserted it in the player.
MxPx issued forth: one of HIS CDs.
Using a few choice phrases that she had picked up from one of his friends, she stabbed the eject button, fairly tore the CD from its player and flung it onto a windshield nearby.
"Happy Halloween!" she shouted at the shocked face. A shocked face with large blue eyes and short blue hair.
Once again, if Usagi had given herself time, she probably could have placed the face. But when Usagi got onto the road and began listening to Eminem, it was only a matter of time before her mood worsened, and her mouth along with it. And by the time she had almost placed the face, she was well into the first track.
Usagi and her Jeep swerved into his driveway, nearly running over the boxes that were left haphazardly all over the lawn. She slammed her fist against the steering wheel and looked up towards the balcony. Sure enough, there HE was, laughing down at her.
She leaped out of the car, long legs flashing. Inadvertently making the entire male population of the street zoom in on her, Usagi raised her fist and shook it at him, who just kept laughing.
He disappeared for a second, and when he came back "Happy Holidays" blared out of his speakers, pouring into the street and into her ears. She screamed her favorite profanity at him and ran to her boxes.
Oh, he was going to pay. Good Lord, he was going to pay. Usagi loaded her boxes into the backseat of her Jeep angrily, and jumped back into the car. Now she was going to have to think up something spectacular to get him back. You do NOT humiliate a woman like that! It could have been worse, though. And he's still got round two up his sleeves somewhere, she decided with absolute certainty.
Her cell phone rang, jarring her from her vengeful ponderings. Irritated, she picked it up and hit talk. "What?" she snapped.
"Ano, Usagi?"
Usagi frowned. The voice wasn't familiar. "Hai, who wants to know?"
"It's Rei. Rei Hino. Remember me?"
She laughed. As if she could ever forget Rei! "Of course I remember you! You were the second one, right? Then came Makoto, and Minako. Then, of course, came Hotaru, Michiru, Haruka, Setsuna, and everyone else. Why? Aren't you on a tour somewhere in America right now?"
Rei laughed sheepishly. "Yes, I am, but I decided that since I haven't seen you, Mamoru, and the others in so many years that I had better check up on you!"
Usagi snickered. Funny that Rei should mention Mamoru. "Rei-chan, Mamoru won't be able to make it."
"Why?"
"Well," Usagi said with a laugh, "I think he's still got a whole lot of jail time left."
"WHAT?"
"You see, it seemed that Mamoru was having some substance problems. Not that he was a stoner or anything, he just sold it to a lot of people. I was getting sick of him, so when I found some evidence on him, I turned him in."
"How could you do that?"
Usagi laughed again. Rei was sounding so shocked that she had turned her second "Love of All Time" in. Jesus Christ, she thought in satisfaction. Weren't THEY in for a surprise!
"Rei, I think that when you see me and the others, you'll find out first had that I'm not quite the bunny you left safely behind in Tokyo. Ja!"
She hung up and stuffed the phone back into her purse. Well, they'd probably be meeting at the temple or the arcade. The arcade was closer, so she should stop there first. Grinning suddenly, she slammed on the gas and almost flew forwards. Yes, she loved her little car.
Veering into the parking lot, she hit the brakes and dropped from the car. Gathering up her purse and pushing through the doors, she realized that she hadn't been in Crown Arcade since Rei, Ami, Makoto, Minako, Michiru, and Haruka had left. Setsuna and Hotaru had stayed behind, the only two witnesses to Usagi's startling transformation. She really hadn't been able to help it. Usagi had met him at the movies one day, and they had hit it off really well.
Things had progressed from there, and, well, here she was now. Looking impatiently around the arcade, seeming for all the world like a queen with a tight schedule. But no, that would be Relena, wouldn't it? Ha! Relena! Queen! As if the stupid girl would know real peace if it slapped her in the face and did the twist on her nose.
"Usagi, is that you?" Motoki asked in shock.
A big smile came to her face, and she gave him a big hug. "Hai, it's me! I haven't been here in ages! How are you doing, Toki-kun?"
His grin widened. "I'm doing great, but I should be asking about you. How're you taking the breakup?"
Usagi laughed and waved it off. "Oh, it's not big deal. I'm planning retaliation as we speak. Can I get a chocolate milk shake?" she asked, handing him a five.
Motoki smiled. "Sure," he said, going back behind the counter. Three seconds later, he had her shake in hand.
Once he handed her the shake and her change, he finished what he was going to say earlier.. "I have to say," he said finally, "you two DO provide us with enough entertainment. You're twenty two and twenty three. Will you and your man ever grow up?"
"Oh, Motoki! Are you saying we're childish? We just like a little fun, nii-kun. But that's beside the fact. Have you seen Rei around?"
He snickered. "Yeah, she and your other friends are sitting over at that table looking for the old you. Odango Amata," he added with a smirk.
"Won't they be surprised," Usagi returned pleasantly.
Drawing up her trademark smirk, she began the walk over to the table where her friends sat oblivious to her approach. As she passed a table, a hand shot out and touched her arm.
"Usagi, are you alright?"
Surprised, she looked down into Quatre's sweet face and laughed. "Of course I'm alright, Quat-kun! Why wouldn't I be?"
He blushed furiously. "Well, because of the breakup between you and---"
"Oh, that's nothing," she said airily. Then a crafty smile came to her face. "Oi, nii-kun, you want to come meet some of my friends?"
Quatre blanched, probably remembering the last time she had introduced him to her friends. He had barely escaped with his life. "Ah, no, but thank you anyways. Oh, yes, Usa-chan? Would you like to come to the dinner party tomorrow night? You may invite as many people as you like."
Usagi smirked. "And won't that just make him feel nice! Yes, and I'll wear that dress that he always drooled over, and I'll make it a point to be there with another man! Oh, this will be fun!"
Quatre coughed. "Warning you, Usa-chan. He's planning the exact same thing, and he's taking Yohji's ex girlfriend. I heard that there were hard feelings on both sides. It's likely that he's going with her so he can get back at you, and she can get back at Yohji. But you know that he's very good at that game," he said, referring to her "love".
"Well, I've always been able to do it much better, haven't I, Quatre-kun?"
He coughed again, and hurriedly excused himself. The blonde woman laughed softly at the poor innocent, and continued towards her own clan. Recalling her smirk once more, she slid easily into the spot next to Rei, who stared at her in shock.
"Usagi?"
She nodded, her smirk growing even more if it were possible. "Hai, it's me. Nice to see y'all again," she said with a laugh.
Minako raised a trembling hand and pointed at her blonde hair--- which now fell to the middle of her back. "Usagi," she said in horror, "your hair! What did you do to your odangos? And you got your ears pierced! And a tattoo! A tattoo of a burning dove!"
Usagi proudly displayed her left shoulder-blade and snickered at their reactions. Ami was just staring at her like she had never seen the blonde before. Minako was flipping out about the way she looked, Makoto was cracking up about a joke well executed, but only Rei heard the subtle nuances in her voice that really set her apart.
"You sound a lot experienced, Usa-chan," Rei finally remarked.
She raised an eyebrow. "I hope so. It's been five years since---"
"USA-CHAN! Did you break up with him?" Hotaru yelled, running up and plopping down beside the smiling blonde.
Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna came into sight closely afterwards, and sank gratefully into the seats. The eight women sat there for quite a while, just loving being together again. But then Hotaru broke the silence.
"Did you?" she asked impatiently.
Usagi sipped at her milk shake and shook her head. "Iie. It was his turn. I get him next time though, and oh am I going to make it a day to remember!"
Setsuna shook her head slightly. "Usagi-hime, when will you learn that love is nothing to play with? Yes, you escaped destiny by sending Mamoru to prison, but you are destined for love."
"Ha! You call what he and I had love? Oh, that's a laugh."
"If he heard you say that, he would say that he was wounded deeply, or something like that," Hotaru remarked.
Usagi frowned. "Actually, we're not on speaking terms right now. We're still just a tad bit upset with each other. His theme this time is---"
"Happy Holidays," Hotaru finished.
The blonde gave Hotaru the Glare-O'-Death that she picked up from Hiiro, and crossed her arms. "I'm offended that you didn't share that with me, Hota-chan."
"WAIT!" Minako shouted. "Who are you talking about? And what's this about Mamoru being in jail? God, I'm so confused! Someone PLEASE enlighten me!"
Usagi cleared her throat. "Oh, well this is going to be fun. I've never exactly told the story before. Everyone knows it by heart now! Um, Hotaru, you can start. You met the infamous Duo Maxwell first."
The smaller girl laughed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Alright. I met Duo in the tenth grade. I was having problems with my Auto class, and so the teacher got me the number of someone who he said could help me. That someone turned out to be Duo Maxwell. So he started teaching me, and we got to be pretty good friends. Then one day Usagi here was having a nervous breakdown about college and you guys not being with her, and so I asked Duo if he wanted to go to the movies. He said sure, and I told Usagi that I'd met her there. Neither of them knew the other was coming."
"And this is where I come in," Usagi broke in. "So I was standing there waiting for Hota-chan when she runs in with this HUNK of a guy. I was so embarrassed! I thought I was drooling---no, I'm sure I was. But Duo and I got to talking, and we immediately decided to be an "item". I broke up with him three weeks later, because I was having destiny problems and crap. We got back together, and he dumped me. We got back together, and I dumped him. We got back together---"
"What Usagi means," Hotaru said hurriedly, "is that they made a habit of getting back together and then taking turns dumping each other. Each time it was more spectacular than the last time. I don't even want to know how he dumped you this time, compared to what you did to him a while back."
Usagi laughed again. It was so weird to hear their story from someone else's point of view! She hadn't really given their meeting much thought, since it was quite a while ago. Unfortunately, she felt herself going all squeaky and reminiscent about him, which was a BAD thing. So she shook her head and focused exclusively on her friends, who were staring at her in semi-shock.
"You did that?" Michiru asked finally.
The blonde stared at her, pulled out her trusty cell phone and dialed Duo's number. "Here. Listen. Learn."
Michiru held the phone to her ear for a minute of two, and then handed it back to Usagi, making stammering noises and blushing like a bride. Or a virgin, Usagi mused to herself. Then she nearly laughed aloud. THAT was a new one.
Suddenly a hand slammed down on her table, making them all jump. Usagi glanced up into laughing violet eyes, and then took another leisurely sip of her shake.
"Got you there, Usa."
Usagi made sure that her voice sounded lazy and bored. She raised her eyes under half-closed eyelids. "The day you could get me would be the day Relena stopped stalking Hii-kun. Which, of course, is never."
Duo's smile widened. "Oh, but my dear Usagi! I have a present for you. I'm sure it will bring back a great deal of good memories."
She arched an eyebrow. "Good memories? Of you? I highly doubt that. Oh, Duo! Meet my friends, Minako, Rei, Ami, Makoto, Haruka, and Michiru. I'm sure they'd all love to hear my memories of you about, say, two years ago?"
A quirky smile danced across his lips. "As much as they'd love to hear about the summer football camp, of course."
Usagi folded her hands and smiled pleasantly. "But the story about dance camp is so much more interesting!"
He shook his head in amusement. "Oh, I'd have to disagree. The time in-"
"DUO-KUN! Uh," Hotaru faltered at the identical glares from Duo and Usagi. Gulping nervously, she plunged on. "Let's go play an arcade game, okay?"
The braided man smiled indulgently. "Sure, Hota-chan. What do you wanna play?"
"The Sailor V game!"
Hotaru flashed an impish smile at Minako, who was staring at Duo like he was a god come to Earth. Evil plans danced through Usagi's head, so that she completely missed the meaningful look that Hotaru sent to Setsuna. The violet haired girl walked off with Duo, who laughed from time to time at things that Usagi said.
The blonde looked after them thoughtfully, measuring their heights against each other. Hmm. Hotaru was a little short, but they were still at about the right height, she mused thoughtfully. Then she turned bright blue eyes towards the others, imagining them standing next to Duo. Of all of them, Makoto was the best match. A cute smile crossed Usagi's lips.
Rei saw this smile, and completely misinterpreted it. "You still like him, don't you, Usa-chan?"
Usagi stared at her in shock that the miko would even say something so ridiculously absurd. Finally realizing that a reply was expected of her, she laughed. "Oh Rei, you're so funny sometimes! Of course not. I'm really very upset with him," she explained.
And that was why she was planning things to do to him. Things that were going to make her laugh. But Rei was shaking her head with a queer little smile on her face. "You still like him! Admit it!"
Usagi shook her head again. "Iie. You know who I do like, however? That Yohji man down at that flower shop. I heard recently that he broke up with his girlfriend, Saori, and that it was a furious breakup for both of them. They each blame the other. And, what's even better is that Duo's taking Saori to the party! Oh, this is too perfect."
Rei was not to be deterred. "I still think you like him."
Usagi just sighed and took another despairing sip of her shake. She was so engrossed in her plans for vengeance that she hardly noticed when a shadow loomed over her. Luckily Hotaru called out before Usagi was caught off guard once again.
"I beat Duo, Usa-chan! I beat Duo! For the first time!"
Usagi lifted her head and beamed at Hotaru around Duo's body. "That's great! Not very surprising, though. Duo is not the best at arcade games."
"You're not much better, Usa."
"Compared to you, I'm God."
"Satan, maybe."
Rei nodded knowingly. "I was right."
Usagi and Duo both whipped their heads around and stared at the smirking woman. Her violet eyes flashed at them, and a smile spread across her features.
"I knew you two still liked each other."
"What?" the accused asked in unison. Then they glared at each other.
"That's absurd," Usagi declared.
Duo nodded in confirmation. "I'm never dating a royal bitch like Usagi ever again."
"If I'm classified as a bitch, I shudder to think about what lowly creature you're classified as, Duo."
"Prove it," Ami suddenly said.
Everyone stared at her. Ami nodded as if she had expected this reaction. "You heard me. Prove it. According to Usagi and Hotaru, you two have broken up several times before. And now you both claim to dislike each other, which I believe to be completely and utterly untrue. This "breakup" is said to last about two weeks, correct?"
Duo nodded reluctantly, while Usagi just stared at Ami. Dr. Ami Mizuno smiled again. One of her favorite pastimes as of late was matchmaking. And it seemed like Usagi and Duo were in desperate need of some very heavy- duty matchmaking. She cracked mental knuckles and dove in for the finishing trap.
"And so I challenge you to not get back together until, say Christmas. If you have not gone out, kissed, hugged, or made any contact with each other that could not be classified as friendship, I will pay you each five hundred dollars. If you have done any of the things previously mentioned, you each have to pay me five hundred dollars. "
She raised her eyes and was met by identical violet and blue eyes. Usagi nodded decisively, not giving Duo any chance to protest or agree.
"I completely agree. I don't like the baka that way at all."
"What she said," the man said, jerking his head at his one time girlfriend. "Ja, minna."
And then he was gone.
Usagi smiled triumphantly. "Step one to winning: get a new boyfriend!" The blonde swooped her purse up and exited the arcade.
Motoki came over to the smiling senshi and glanced down at the very satisfied looking Ami. Setsuna smiled serenely at him, and then beamed happy thoughts at Ami.
"What did you do? Usagi just shot out of here laughing like a madwoman, and Duo left looking like either a very pissed off man, or a very determined one."
"Oh, it wasn't much. I simply studied their body language and inferred that this big breakup is nothing more than a sham. Also, I learned from Usagi's voice and stance that she loved nothing more than a good challenge. Judging by her own words, she would get back with Duo in two week's time. So I issued a challenge. If they can stay apart for five months, I will be surprised."
Motoki was silent for a few seconds, and then he nodded. "Sounds good to me. But you said that to her and then let her get into her car?"
*
Usagi screamed a loud string of scorching words at her latest victim, which happened to be a small, weak, pathetic driver trying to get around in the inferior Ferrari. Her Jeep was the God of Cars, and Usagi liked to make sure that everyone knew that. The businessman inside the chosen car apparently used to think that because his cost a lot of money, it was automatically better than her own Jeep.
So she had shown him differently.
God Almighty, she was having such a bad day that it wasn't even funny. Everyone was all grown up and successful, and what did she do? She was a mechanic. A good, rich mechanic, but a mechanic all the same. She was nothing compared to Rei and the others.
Ami had moved away and gone to medical school when she was eighteen. Going through her courses with flying colors, she had immediately landed a top position at a hospital in California, or some place like that. She had never gotten married, but was currently seeing a nice young man who had a stamp collection. Usagi had a belief that you could tell people's personalities from their collections. Stamps for instance. Not a good sign.
Rei had become a professional singer. Unfortunately, she dealt with pop so Usagi had bought her CD before actually listening to the songs. Needless to say, she had a wonderful time learning the lyrics to all of her friend's songs. It had amused her to no end when Duo had sung "Starry Night" at a bar late one night. The bartender had been very grateful for his hand in clearing out the bar in record time.
Makoto was now a chef in the most prestigious restaurant in Europe. Her restaurant, the Jupiter, was one in a chain of establishments scattered across the world. She only had ten restaurants all together; one for each of the planets, including the moon. Jupiter was by far the most famous, because she herself cooked there.
Minako quickly rose to the rank of superstar, to no one's surprise. Featured on the cover of almost every major magazine at one point or another, she was enjoying the attention and the rich lifestyle that came along with being famous and beautiful. Her every move or movie was tracked by the press, and unlike the other stars, she absolutely adored the attention.
Michiru was still playing her violin, but was now raking in money and being called the first female composer that kids in the future will learn about in Music Appreciation. Not only was she a composer/performer, she was an artist too. The woman did marvelous paintings of the ocean, each with eerie lifelike qualities for each. Perhaps her most famous was of a simple beach scene, but the simplicity of it seemed to call to the souls. It was said that if you listened closely enough, you could hear the shells singing. It was also said that if you stared at the waves long enough, you could discern the face of a woman, looking up smilingly at the sky. But rumors are only rumors, right?
Haruka was still racing, and scaring Michiru half to death with her close encounters with certain disaster. Once, when Michiru actually forbade the woman to race cars any more, Haruka ran away. Their relationship hung on the brink of disaster, but then they had eventually come to terms. The Senshi of the Wind still enjoyed playing piano to Michiru's violin, but her forte was, and always will be racing.
Setsuna and Hotaru had stayed with her in Tokyo, living in a large house together. Usagi hated to go in there, because it seemed like the house was always crying out for the other two Outers to come back and fill the rooms back up. Setsuna was a major fashion designer, and enjoyed making Usagi and Hotaru model her things. She had actually once forced Duo into one of her creations, and then fell in love with making men's clothes. The female fashion world suffered for a while until Setsuna snapped back to the dying female fashion with a gusto that put the other designers to shame. Hotaru was plodding through her last year of high school, and was showing signs of being a very shrewd decision maker. She was showing the signs of what it took to be a business woman.
And here Usagi was, a mechanic. For the first time in five years a hollow pit lodged itself inside her belly. A mechanic. A mechanic, next to all of her friends. Oh, didn't that sound just wonderful. She thought very hard about her job, the people that worked there, and how dirty she got while working beneath trucks. An impish grin came to her face, and she slammed on the gas.
She loved her job.
Roaring down the street at 75 mph, Usagi Tsukino was certainly a sight for sore eyes. Ah, if only a mirror were handy, she thought with a tiny laugh. Now, where was that damn flower shop again? Wasn't it on 5th? Or was it on 15th?
As she passed 5th, she realized that she could see the sign hanging over the sidewalk. Spinning the wheel for a sharp turn, she almost ran over the man she was coming to see. Usagi shrieked and slammed on her brakes, causing more swearing behind her. Sticking her head out of her car, she waved merrily at the smirking man.
"Yohji-kun! I need to talk to you!"
"About what?" he shouted back.
"Revenge!" she yelled, savoring the taste of the word.
A semi-shocked look graced his face, and he turned back around and headed back towards the flower shop. He seemed to see something and cringe. Casting a pleading look at Usagi, he leaned nonchalantly against the wall and looked disinterested in his surroundings.
Usagi laughed at his antics and parked her car. She jogged across the street, once again paying no mind to the traffic. It wasn't like she was going to stay dead if they killed her. Yohji walked over to her, and met her at the curb.
"What do you mean, revenge?"
She smiled prettily. "Well, Yohji-kun, I happen to know that Duo is taking Saori to one of Quat-kun's fancy dinner parties. I know you want to get her back, so I thought this might be an excellent opportunity."
He arched an eyebrow. "Is that so? And here I thought you were using your breakup as an excuse to go out with me," he said with a wicked grin.
"Who says I'm not? I'm thinking this works on three different levels. You get Saori, I get Duo, AND I get to date you."
"Make that four levels, my dear Usagi," Yohji decided after giving his new "girlfriend" an appraising look. "Now, just to warn you, Duo and Saori are standing in there right now, deciding what flowers they should wear. It's taking them forever. God save me," he said raising his eyes to the clouds.
Usagi smacked his arm. "God wouldn't help you if you had him at knifepoint. Look down. He might help you, Yohji-kun. Now. Shall we give them a show?"
His smirk grew to match hers. "We shall."
Usagi slipped her arm around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder. Yohji put his arm around her shoulder, and Usagi couldn't help but smile. Maybe getting revenge on Duo would be fun! Interesting, even. If she was lucky.
They walked into the flower shop, immediately halting all conversations. Including, Usagi saw with satisfaction, Duo and Saori's. Usagi gently tugged Yohji over to the counter and studied the flowers for a second. She gave Yohji a glance, and then visualized herself. With a tiny nod, she began picking out the flowers.
"Ohayo, Omi-kun! Okay, I want one blood rose, and one of your black roses."
Omi swallowed carefully. "Usa-chan, I'm afraid we don't have any more black roses. Someone bought them all yesterday."
She fixed him with a cold stare. Feeling Yohji move uncomfortably beside her, she intensified her stare, until Omi finally cracked. "He's picking up the order later today. I'll give you one, and I'll just give him your name and tell him that you paid me extra for it. Okay?"
Usagi nodded and looked up at Yohji with a smile. "See? Everything will be just dandy."
"Why do you want a black rose and a red one? Duo and Saori are matching," he added, waiting for any effect.
"At this point in time I don't give a damn about what they're doing. I'm picking a black rose for me, because my dress is red. You'll be wearing a tuxedo, which is why you have a red rose. We'll stand out, I can make sure of that."
"More then Duo and Saori? They both look pretty sharp in dressy stuff."
"I'm positive. Duo can play the Make 'Em Drool game pretty damn well, but I'm better. Thanks, Omi-kun!" she said, flashing her pearly whites.
Usagi glanced over at Duo and Saori, who were ignoring them. Well, Duo was ignoring them. Saori kept glancing over, trying to catch a glimpse of what Usagi and Yohji were doing. An evil smile leapt to her face, and she went up on tiptoes to Yohji's ear.
"Want to give them a real something to see?"
"What are you thinking?"
"Oh, just a simple kiss. One that will turn her green if it works right. Only a light one that looks like a promise of more to come, alright?"
He raised an eyebrow. "You do this a lot, don't you?"
"I hypothesize. I've never actually gone through on getting another boyfriend as revenge. Okay. Here we go."
So right in the middle of the flower shop, under the amazed eyes of Omi and under the shocked expressions of Duo and Saori, Usagi pulled Yohji down for a tiny, butterfly light kiss.
"You'll look great," she told him a trifle loudly.
"Thanks."
They linked hands and walked out the door. Once they were sure that neither Duo nor Saori could see them anymore, Yohji smiled at her.
"They were positively green with envy, m' dear."
Usagi threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, that was wonderful! Did you see Saori's face? I thought she was a monster there for a moment, she was so green! This is more fun than I thought!"
Yohji smiled down at the vivacious blonde that had stormed into his life demanding revenge. "Know what else was rather enjoyable?"
"Hmm?"
"The kiss itself."
Usagi stared at him in surprise, and then laughed even harder. "Yohji, we are the spawn of the Devil, now I'm sure! To be enjoying the revenge we're getting! We're going to Hell," she informed in solemnly.
"If this is how I get there, will you let me fly first class?"
What could she do besides laugh? Nothing, of course. So she laughed.
*
Duo placed his money on the counter with shaking hands. So. She was planning on playing this game in the major leagues. That had been a pretty dirty trick, he thought angrily. Still, he couldn't help but being admiring at the same time. Not many people would kiss another man just for revenge.
"They looked too happy, Duo-kun! Too perfect!" Saori said worriedly, for the thousandth time.
HE KNEW, he wanted to shout at her. And they looked perfect together because Usagi made everyone look good. There was just a glimmer to her that rubbed off on others. And, unfortunately, Yohji had that glitter too.
A horrible thought made his stomach lurch, as Saori voiced her doubts to him again. What if Usagi wasn't just doing it for pretend? What if she was doing it because she really liked Yohji? That kiss hadn't looked stiff at all. It had looked like they had done it time and time before.
And maybe they had. Usagi had been coming down to the flower shop every day by the time he broke up with her. He should have known by the way things were going that this time would be different. Her friends had come back in town. He should have remembered that. That Ami woman had screwed everything up! And now that Usagi had a bet in her mind, she wouldn't back down until she won, fair and square.
But Usagi and Yohji! The kiss! He wasn't sure whether he wanted to laugh or cry. He should have known that a woman like Usagi wouldn't hesitate to move on to the next guy. It had been stupid of him to believe that she'd stay single until Christmas.
"Duo?" Saori asked softly. "Are you alright?"
Carefully burying the fact that Usagi had looked just like that when she was worried, he ginned at her. Yes, there were good things about this bet, too. Saori being one of them. He nodded reassurance and took her hand.
They exited in the same way that Usagi and Yohji had left before them. Omi shook his head at the game the four were beginning and went to his calendar.
Five months.
Omi smiled, albeit unwillingly, thinking about Usagi and Duo. The two never stopped providing Jubaan with entertainment. First it was the breakups, and now the challenge.
His eyes went to the window thoughtfully. The harsh August sun beat down on the town, baking the streets with waves of heat and making the air shimmer. Omi tried to imagine snow falling on the same street five months from now, and found he couldn't.
The man circled Christmas Eve with a dark red marker. Time would tell how messy *this* Christmas would be.